


a best friend's guide to unrequited love

by dunneltag879



Series: unrequited love [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics), Superboy (Comics), Young Justice (Comics)
Genre: Just Friends, M/M, Mixed Signals, Poor Tim Drake, Secret Crush, Timkon, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, kon doesn’t feel the same way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28145592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dunneltag879/pseuds/dunneltag879
Summary: Tim felt his heart sink and then the nausea began to settle in.“My? My what?” He shook his head in disbelief. Kon didn’t like him. He liked-“Y’know, Cass?” Kon scaled his friend’s face. “The Black Bat,”OrAfter overhearing a private conversation Tim finds a large amount of hope that Kon could potentially like him back. Only, he may have misinterpreted.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent
Series: unrequited love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182095
Comments: 9
Kudos: 73





	a best friend's guide to unrequited love

“Shhh!”

Tim halted in the door. He could hear faint giggles and whispers from the room before him.

“Seriously, Kon? A bat? Oh boy. You’re gonna get torn to shreds,” Bart teased from inside the room. The voices were only made out in small cracks and whispers.

“Yeah? So what? Don’t you dare tell him—I’m serious, now quiet down, Bart,” Kon expressed a bit of embarrassment in his voice.

A bat? He liked one of them? Wait. Don’t tell _him_? Oh.

_Oh!_

Tim blushed. His heart flooded in warmth. Was this real? Was he really witnessing this? The boy was grinning like an idiot now, because who knew eavesdropping could put one in such a good mood. It was obviously him though, right? Kon didn’t interact with any of his other siblings, let alone really be around them enough to form any sort of attraction.

About a month ago Tim had realized his own feelings. He’d broke it off weeks before then with Steph, which he soon explained once he figured it all out. Luckily, Steph had felt similar, so as you could imagine; she became sort of his go-to for the whole ‘ _shit I think I’m actually gay and in love with my best friend who I have no chance with_ ’ situation. Steph was going to freak.

Tim made sure to enter the room again on queue, right when the two metas became quiet and the conversation had halted.

It was never bright up again, either, nor did anyone acknowledge Tim’s wide smile or burst of happiness. They had a good time.

Then, come late nighttime they all settled down and fell asleep collectively in the mess they always manage to conjure up on the floor of Tim’s very own Wayne manor bedroom.

***

The next day—after they had left—Tim calledStephanie the quickest he ever had before. He gushed all about Kon and what he had heard, asking for her advice and opinions before deciding his next move. They settled on the next night, when the two usually met up after patrol together. Maybe he’d tell Kon the way he felt, or maybe simply beat around the bush. Tim knew to take baby steps, there was no point in rushing, still, he couldn’t help but imagine getting swept off his feet by his kryptonian prince charming come tomorrow.

***

The next night came before he knew it, and patrol seemed to run smoothly. He kept his own route this time, energy bouncing through his veins all night. Tim found himself so high off his own romanticism and imagination that a jaw breaking punch felt like a flick, and no doubt ever crossed his mind when he was fighting. So this was what truly falling in love felt like.

And just as promised, always, the best friends met up on their specific rooftop that sat right above the hotdog stand.

Naturally, the kryptonian had arrived first, holding out Tim’s regular order out to him once he got up there. Tim’s heart fluttered. He smiled, accepting the food politely and taking his seat next to Kon on the rooftop. He seemed to be inched a little closer than usual, simply to test his limits, but Kon didn’t appear to be bothered.

The two talked their usual amount, bragging about sweet moves they managed and the most bizarre things they happened upon. Typically, it was a friendly competition, like who could save the most people or get the most girls numbers or who could have the most exciting night. Yet, this time,Tim just listened. He realized after a while he must he staring heart eyes directly at Kon, but the fact that he hadn’t questioned it further proved Tim’s hypothesis.

“Hey, can I tell you something?” Kon finally asked after a while.

Tim nodded almost instantly, and he couldn’t help but mirror Kon’s twinkly look he held. “Yeah, of course. Shoot.”

“I’m uh, how do i put this without you going all vigilante mode on me? I’m...into your sister,” Kon was grinning stupidly now.

_Oh!_

oh.

Tim felt his heart sink and then the nausea began to settle in.

“My? My what?” He shook his head in disbelief. Kon didn’t like him. He liked-

“Y’know, Cass?” Kon scaled his friend’s face. He wasn’t all that surprised by the reaction after all, though he’d expected more of a ‘ _protective brother act_ ’ “Yep. You heard me right Rob,” he snickered, throwing one hand out wide and the other on Tim’s shoulder. “Picture us: Superboy and _the_ Black Bat. An unstoppable team and an extraordinary power couple,”

“Right, and the first relationship you’d be in where you’re not the muscle,” Tim shot back. He could play this off. He could do so rather well. Once you start repressing certain feelings it becomes almost natural as the years go on. This silly crush would be merely pushed aside.

“You don’t seem excited. It’s not my fault your sister’s hot,” Kon shrugged, giving the Robin a bit of a jostle.

Tim wanted to scream. Just as loud as he could, no holding back. He’d push Kon away and just let everything out on him. It wasn’t supposed to be _her_ , it was supposed to be _him_. Cass wasn’t the one he mindlessly was affectionate around. Cass didn’t receive big bear hugs daily or special cuddles when she was sad. Or video game days or sleepovers at the Kent farm, or Kon flying her up into the clouds. Tim did. Tim felt so much unlit tension between the two of them, from all the times Kon patched up his wounds or held him when he finally opened up, or even the rare few moments where they’d find themselves a little too close to one another to the point of almost brushing noses and just barely pulling back. So, yeah, he felt like falling apart. He felt like throwing himself off the building even. Tim Drake just felt like a fucking idiot.

“Oh, ew. God no. I don’t want to hear you gush over my sister, Kon,” Tim huffed, faking a small smile. He stood up then, brushing Kon’s arm away.

“Right. Right. Do you think she likes me though? Be brutally honest with me, wonder boy, do I have a chance?” Kon gave him puppy eyes. Those stupid fucking puppy eyes. He couldn’t resist, because at the end of the day Kon absolutely deserved happiness, even if it was at the death of his own.

Tim pondered for a moment. His head was pounding. He was going to throw up. His mind screamed the familiar: ‘ _just tell him_ ’ but what good would that do, really? _Hi sorry I know you’re crushing on my sister and all but I’m madly in love with you and I think we should probably kiss now because I don’t like hearing the words ‘no’_. No. That was crazy talk. So, he thought some more. “Honestly? Yeah. Yeah I think she does, just be your annoyingly charming self and I’m sure she’ll like you just fine. Shall I put in a good word for you too?” He rolled his eyes at the last part.

“You’re right, I am charming,” Kon whispered confidently to himself. He floated after the Robin then, whom had already gotten a head start. “No! No, don’t tell her anything. I don’t need a wingman this time, Rob. Just like you said, right? I’ll just be my _charming self_ ,”

“Sure, but you forgot the part where I called you annoying,” the shorter boy reminded, pulling out his collapsible bow staff. There was no way he’d be able to just go home after that, he’d have to stop a couple of crimes and beat some basic criminals just to blow off some steam before home. Also probably vomit twice.

“Right. You win some, you lose some. Catch you later mystery boy,” Kon flew off, keeping the same old idiotic grin he so wished to slap off. Still, Tim gave a clumsy solute and turned into the opposite direction.

***

When he finally got home the sun was coming up. The boy stripped regularly of his suit and slipped into the shower to wash all the blood, sweat and whatever else kind of substance ended up on him that night. Booze? Spit? You name it.

Maybe he’d skip school tomorrow. He could say he came down with the flu, Dana would probably check on him once or twice but other than that there’d be no commotion. Truth is, Tim wasn’t sure he could even hold a short conversation after that. He’d been rejected by plenty of girls before, sure, but Kon was different. He felt like a first love. And he was so sure the clone had reciprocated his feelings as well. Apparently not.

Before he drifted off he checked his phone. The screen held about a dozen messages from Steph, all demanding details on how it went with Kon tonight, if anything interesting happened or if one of them had been crazy enough to admit their feelings for the other. He didn’t respond.

Who knew you could want someone so bad, and even feel so incredibly empty when you couldn’t have them. Tim couldn’t quite put his foot down on it. Kon wasn’t his, he never was. Never would be, either. So, how come he could so perfectly mourn the boy whom he never got the chance to love?

**Author's Note:**

> K so I’m gonna be honest — not my best work. I write at night for starters and with school and my crippling mental health this was all my fried brain could conjure up: unrequited love. Happens to the best of us and really fucking sucks so props to everyone dealing with that right now or ever at some point. I’ve been there too, sure, been there, done that, but it’ll get better babe hang on <333
> 
> Thanks for reading of you actually stuck around or if anyone actually reads these end notes (I honestly don’t know if you do or not give me a sign y’all) and I hope you have a lovely day and holiday if you celebrate any that are upcoming or even that have slightly passed :))


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